


Winter Born

by IseliaDragonwill



Series: IgNoct week 2018 [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Blood and Injury, Ignis is stubborn, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 05:58:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13630092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IseliaDragonwill/pseuds/IseliaDragonwill
Summary: Ignis will always be willing to take a blow for Noctis, just as Noctis will always be there to heal him afterwards.Day 4 prompt for Ignoct Week: Injury





	Winter Born

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4 prompt: injury
> 
> I actually started this a month ago under a totally different prompt. Abandoned it for a little while. Then I came back and said, "hey, I could use this for Ignoct week". Thus, here we are!
> 
> Comments and kudos are love.

Ignis cradled his forearm as he watched Noctis tear strips of gauze and lay them in a neat row on the floor of the tent, one by one. The bleeding had mostly stopped, but his skin was still stained with dried trails of red, stark against his gloveless hands. He tried once more to convince himself that the wound wasn’t as bad as it looked; that he was none the worse for wear, as he often told his comrades.

But then Noctis looked at him and he couldn’t bring himself to lie.

“Specs, would you please just use a potion?” Noctis’s voice was resigned, hovering at the edge of disappointment, already knowing Ignis’s answer. It almost made him reconsider.

“Noct…” If only he had been more attentive on the battlefield, Noctis wouldn’t have ended up pinned under a sahagin, its gnashing jaws mere inches from his face. Ignis had reacted in an instant to spare him the blow–sliding on his knees across the damp, muddy ground to position his body between the two, thrusting the rod of his spear between the creature’s jaws to fend it off before he managed to kick the beast away. Its teeth had ripped into Ignis’s arm as it was launched backwards with a menacing hiss. “We’re low on curatives as it is. I’ll make due until we can get to town and collect our pay from the hunt.”

Ignis could tell that Noctis wasn’t satisfied with that answer, could see it in the tension that coiled from head to toe, like a spring about to snap. He admonished himself again for not having protected him better. Cuts and scrapes and broken bones were nothing but painful annoyances to him, limitations of the flesh to which he was bound, but to Noctis they were reminders of every sacrifice that had ever been made for him, every loss, every ugly reflection of the worth he felt he never lived up to. Knowing that hurt Ignis more than any physical wound ever could. 

“Besides, the worst of the bleeding has stopped.” Ignis forced a smile. It wasn't a lie, but it did nothing for the bitter taste in his mouth.

The sudden burn of alcohol made him squeeze his eyes shut as a grunt slipped past his clenched teeth, almost drowning out the muffled apology that Noctis offered in sympathy. A dry cloth patted down the cuts before gently scrubbing the dried blood and dirt from the surrounding area, taking care not irritate the injury further. 

“I can take a hit once in a while, you know.” Noctis murmured. He took Ignis's hand and placed it on his knee, grimacing at the ragged and uneven skin where serrated teeth had sliced through flesh. 

“It's not a matter of whether you can.” Ignis whispered, his gaze downcast. “I’d just prefer that you didn’t.”

Silence hung between them as Noctis tied the strips of gauze around Ignis's bloodied forearm in a neat row of little knots. Neither could bear to look the other in the eyes. They shared the same mutual inadequacy–pained at not being able to protect the other from harm, knowing full well that it would always be Ignis’s sacrifice to give and Noctis’s obligation to take. Their respective roles demanded it, no matter how hard they tried to fight against every reminder of a fate that neither of them desired, taunted by futility of it all. Try as he might, it was the one burden Ignis could never bear for Noctis.

When the wound was finally bandaged, Ignis worked up the nerve to lift his gaze to Noctis. He had Ignis's hand cradled in both of his own on his lap, staring as if something in each line of bone or crease of palm might help him understand just how the Gods could be so cruel to place the one he loved in a position where he could never truly protect him. The calm, sea blue of his eyes misted over into something stormy and grey, turbulent with everything he longed to say, but couldn't. 

Ignis reached out with his other hand to cup Noctis's cheek, the beginnings of a reassuring smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He waited, thumb brushing over cheekbones, for Noctis to look at him. It always took some time, but he eventually would come around. Until then, he was content to simply feel the warmth of Noctis's skin on his palm, an anchoring point to come back to if his thoughts strayed too far.

Suddenly, Noctis was crawling across the space that separated them, straddling Ignis’s lap as he knelt on both knees and tugged his head against his chest. Ignis returned the gesture, one arm wrapping around Noctis’s waist, the other reaching up to tangle his fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. Although he smelled of sweat and mud, Ignis could hardly find it in himself to care when Noctis was holding him close, stroking his hair while he peppered kisses across his forehead and temples. Noctis didn’t have to say what he was thinking, Ignis could read it in every tender affection.

“I’ll endeavor to be more careful, Noct. Forgive me.”

With a huff and the beginnings of a smile, Noctis slid his hands to Ignis’s cheeks. “I know you won’t, but I forgive you.” 

Ignis chuckled and pulled Noctis down for a kiss, humming in contentment as the tension of the day finally melted away from them both, under the comforting touch of lips and skin.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](https://iseliadragonwill.tumblr.com) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/FallenIsel)!


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